Petrol stations to go self-service nationwide

The self-service petrol station system was introduced by the government in the Klang Valley 11 years ago in 1997 but we all know that until now it has not really been implemented fully, not even in the Klang Valley. There are plenty of petrol stations around more often than not having a foreign worker asking you if you want to use cash or card, merah or hijau, and then pumping your fuel for you.

PDAM acting president Abdul Wahid Bidin said they intend to fully implement the self service system nationwide from the 1st of August 2008 onwards – this Friday. This was to reduce dependence on foreign workers and to reduce the burden on operators. Petrol station workers are still allowed but only to help the disabled, senior citizens and pregnant women. They are also allowed in small unbranded petrol stations in rural areas.

Truth be told I don’t think many people are affected by this or even bother, and both PDAM and the government seem to be in denial about the self-service system not being fully/properly implemented in the Klang Valley despite the 11 years that have passed since the original ruling, but it’s still related to motoring.

Personally I have no issues pumping my fuel myself and I don’t see why anyone should have a problem with it. But what pisses me off are pumps that have a ridiculously slow flow rate – there was once I had to fill up a large fuel tank and it took me a good 15 to 20 minutes! The other would be credit card terminals that seem perpetually down.

Station owners should ensure all of their hardware are working properly at all times to avoid inconveniencing customers!

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.

Self service effective from 1 Aug 2008???? since 1998 onwards i pump petrol by my self, no others is helping me, but some time some worker is helping me to cleaning my front wind screen. No difference isn’t it? That why the G is always chanage to policy. morning said change, evening said forget it. this is cal the “POLICY OF MALAYSIA”. Hahahaha……

If the petrol stations want to be competitive, it is up to them to continue to provide some assistance in filling up your tank as a form of service. After the self service announcement several years back, some petrol stations have several workers there but they are just watching you pump. It just doesn’t makes sense if you go self service but the number of workers remain unchanged. Why waste such resources, and if the petrol stations could afford it, they could just continue as usual.

I do agree that some pumps do not have working card readers which makes it frustrating. And some readers take forever to process your payment and issue receipt.

I think I am one of those who won’t care they are there or not because they never serve me just because I don’t drive a big car. Although, it will be a slight inconvenience for females who are accustomed to some one else pumping their car for them.

The issue I have is the credit card. I think it may be a way to avoid paying credit card so that the petrol station owners will get cash. just like the day before the petrol price increase, the station owner refused to take credit card with the execuse that it is down. It would have been believable until I went to pay cash and saw the amount of money on their counter. Must have made a killing that day.

No biggy! I don’t have any problem with pumping the petrol myself and why the heck some petrol station had so much foreign workers that all they do is standing around all day? Waste resources…might as well improved or updated all the hardware lor!

Im glad you have a little zest in your blog post these days, some critical comment from you. At one point, I thought this is another version of E-Autocar. Keep up the good work. A blog should have some personal touch. Not just a notice board for news.

Used to be tanker cost somewhre arnd 60K, now it cost the dealer arnd 100K. The untung on petrol is small few sen only per litre, evaporation rate increase (esp Vpower where people dont buy nowadays), they need cash to pay the oil company.. how? so profiteering la, increase barang dlm kedai by 10 sen – 20 sen.. somemore the pembekal credit term no longer 60 days, down to 30 days now 14 days, increase price as well, transportation cost increase lagi.. another thing is they thinking abt implementing other method of providing subsidies, maybe MyKad so to prevent fraud, the driver itself need to present and verified the thumbprint (which might linked to the license and perhaps the geran, maybe? Seriously I dont know..).. If youre Stinkaporkrean or Thailandia, you’ll be paying normal rates.. yet you only got some quota over certain month, like 100 litre of subsidies per month..

As far as I am concerned ( and I hope I can speak for all of us) it is of little or no consequence whatever the Govt or petrol station operators want to do with their operations. Anything’s fine so long as the primary purpose of us going there is always available, i.e. filling up.

The disappearence of service people around the pumps is only a concern to me when it comes to SECURITY. We have heard of many instances where people are rob, cars hijacked, women raped, people kidnapped and sometimes murdered as a result of visiting the petrol station.

So, I only hope that they will maintain at least one or two ABLE security men at the pumps, especially when it’s deserted in the early morning hours or at stations in high crime locations. No point putting CCTVs alone, because we have seen how they DONT work in the news most of the time.

all this while, i have only being pumping fuel at those stations which are not self serviced…in fact in my area, all the stations are not self serviced!..we have 2 shell, one caltex, 2 petronas, 1 mobil, 1 esso and all in one small little town!…whenever i drive outstation, i fill my tank full in my town itself to avoid hassle of pumping fuel….i’m gonna miss this convenience….

The disappearence of service people around the pumps is only a concern to me when it comes to SECURITY. We have heard of many instances where people are rob, cars hijacked, women raped, people kidnapped and sometimes murdered as a result of visiting the petrol station.

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I have to agree on the security aspect of the perol station. Crimes rate are pretty high these days. but we need to know what is the extent of security is needed at petrol station.. Also, how do we specify the security servce to be used? Through camera? Thru security guys? As we all know, many security service are just ’empty can”, with very little trained staff. Just look at some banks. The security guards are either too fat, too old etc. (Not all are like that, of course). These are the bunch of ppl we trusted with millions of ringgit at the bank. Some security companies have recruited guards that even collaborated with criminal to do heist job…..Really sad, but its all true.

As an idea to use “foreigners” (bangla staff) that double as security guards while serving as petrol attandants, I think its almost an immposible job. These staffs have problem with communication. Try telling them doing something during emergency, and they would be more confused than you.
In addition to that, would any bangla willing to risk their live to offer “security” of customers, when they are being paid peanuts working art petrol station? Is the risk worth taking?

Will not work, outside Klang Valley, other towns, they still have attendants. Some high capacity petrol stations hire attendants as it speeds up time rather than have the driver stop, go in, pay, go out fill in. Its just an announcement which has little or no impact at all.

PDAM should not only to ensure all its member(dealers) has working Credit Card systems but also working air pump! There are too much of these nonsence since their existance! Some losses its whole pipe, some lost its head and more frequent are bocor case! Everywhere also bocor!

Another issue i would like to address here… does anyone here ever checked/view at the pump calibration sticker ?
Does every pump have one ? (some has, some neverever had)
Or does petrol pump are govern to have them calibrated yearly ?
If so, who(authority) should audit these dealers ?

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